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RSG Plans New Ring Road In Bonny …As Agency Begins Road Repairs In PH
The Rivers State Government has said that it plans to embark on a ring road project that would link Bonny and other riverine communities in the state.
Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, stated this in Bonny while addressing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders during an official visit to the Island.
She noted that the project which will cut across other riverine local government areas in the state would enhance accessibility of rural communities and check criminal activities along the waterways.
The deputy governor said that government has concluded arrangements to commence the renovation of Bonny National College while internal roads and Bonny Jetty are receiving urgent attention.
On empowerment, Banigo recalled that recently the state government, through the state Micro-Finance Agency released the first set of loans to some women and youth in the state, assuring that more people would benefit in due course.
She lauded the leadership of the PDP in Bonny Local Government Area for keeping the party together and the good people of Bonny for maintaining peaceful coexistence while soliciting their unalloyed support for the state government to enable it deliver on its promises.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Rodaford LongJohn, thanked the deputy governor for the visit, coming on the heels of the forthcoming re-run election in the state.
LongJohn noted that the visit has boosted the confidence of PDP members and enhanced the chances of the party to win all the seats being contested for in the area.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Projects (SDP), Mrs. Toru Ofili, said the stakeholders meeting has re-energized the people to vote the PDP, especially as Banigo is the first woman from Bonny to occupy the office of deputy governor of Rivers State.
In his remarks, Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Bonny LGA, Hon. Charles Tonye Jumbo, commended Governor Nyesom Wike, for the choice of Banigo as his deputy, and assured the total support and loyalty of Bonny people to the present administration.
Earlier, the PDP, Chairman, Bonny LGA, Mr. Simon Hart, had expressed satisfaction with the performance of the deputy governor of Rivers State, stressing that her entrance into politics was divinely ordained.
He said the PDP in the area are united, and urged her to consider Bonny in the execution of projects.
The PDP House of Representative candidate, Hon. Randoff Brown, and that of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abinye Pepple for the March 19, re-run elections, were among dignitaries at the stakeholders meeting.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Agency (RSAMRA) has kicked off the filling of potholes along major roads and streets in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
Members of the State Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Agency inspected on-going reconstruction work along Abali Park and a section of the Eastern By-pass destroyed by erosion.
The Chairman of the State Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Agency, Okey Okah, told our correspondent in an interview that the dilapidated portion along the Abali Park would be completed tomorrow while the eroded portion at the Eastern Bypass would be completed in seven days.
On his part, a board member of the agency, Gideon Deemor, said the agency will work only when the roads are free to allow for free flow of traffic during working days.
Our correspondent reports that other members of the agency, including Mike Williams and Emilia Nte were part of the inspection team.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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